Lighting construction



M r 8, 1933. R. B. BENJAMIN ET AL 3, 7

' LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Q M gi March28, ,1933,

R. B. BENJAMIN ET AL 1,903,087

LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2; 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2 q- W 24 ZWW muyaw WII QW Mard'l ,4 1933- R. B. BENJAMIN ET AL 1,903,037

LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar.28, 1933 PATENT OFFICE REUBEN B. BENJAMIN AND JOHN H. WATERIBURY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY,OF DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Application filed ,July2, 1931. Serial No. 548,390.

Our invention relates to a lighting construction and more particularlyto the lighting of tunnels or subways.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a lamp construction tobe installed in the ceiling of a tunnel adjacent the side wall andhaving provisions whereby the light emitting from the lamp will bespread out uniformly along the wall so as to prevent vertical lightstreaks.

A further object of our invention is to provide a construction whereinthe light rays emitting downwardly will be refracted in a forwarddirection (that is, in the direction of travel of a vehicle using thetunnel) so as not to inconvenience the driver of a vehicle.

- Another object is to provide an improved latching means for the hingeddoor containing the lens.

Further objects will appear from the description and claims.

In the drawings in which our invention is illustrated,

Figure 1 is an axial section through a construction embodying ourinvention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of our lamp, but with the lens removed;

Fig. 3 is a section of the lens only on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale illustrating thelatching means and is substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the lens alone; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, vertical and longitudinal sectionsthrough a typical installation of my invention, and illustrating the liht distribution from the lamps.

Re erring to the drawings in detail, the construction shown comprises ahousing 1 having mounted therein a socket 2, said socket having aportion 3 extending through an aperture 4 in the reflector 5. In orderthat the bulb 6 may be readily removable and replaceable, a constructionis provided whereby the bulb may be inserted in the receptacle by aswinging movement without any axial rotation. For this purpose the outerside of the insulating cup portion 3 is made flaring, as indicated at6a, and a laterally-yielding spring contact member 7 is providedopposite this flaring entrance which bears against the threaded shellcontact 7a of the bulb. The bulb is held in proper position in thesocket by means of a spring wire clip 8 having a loop portion whichengages the 0nd of the bulb and presses it into the socket, this springloop yielding to "permit the bulb to swing into position in insertingthe bulb into the socket. The reflector 5 is retained in the housing 1by means of screws Si being passed through the flanged portion 10 andinto the lugs 11 of the housing 1. A

door 12 is' mounted on the bar 13 by means of the hinge pins 14. Asuitable spring tension is maintained on said bar 13 by means of spring15 and the adjusting screws 16.

To hold the door in its proper position an adjustable latching means isprovided comprising a latch member 17 mounted on the eccentric bushing18, said eccentric bushing be ing provided with a hexagonal head 19 bywhich said bushing 18 may be rotated to cause the latch member 17 toexert less or greater pressure on the latch pin 20. A spring 21 isprovided to keep the latch member under proper tension when the door 12is closed. Within the door 12 is protectively mounted,

by means of the rubber gasket 22, the lens 23,- said lens having a firstzonal portion 24 nearzonal portion 25 extending substantially from thefirst zonal portion 24 to the other end of the reflector and from. aline substantially parallel to the rear edge of the reflector to thefront edge of said reflector, said second zonal ortion 25 being providedwith a prismatic ormation substantially as shown m Fig. 5, for causingli ht rays passing therethrough to be refracte forwardly. Thedistribution of the light emitting from said second zonal ortion 25 isshown in Fig. 8 as being bounded y the lines A and E and in Fig. 9 bythe lines D and F. The said prismatic formation of the zonal portion 25comprises a plurality of substantially parallel prisms extendingsubstantially longitudinally of the reflector. The lens has a thirdzonal portion 26 extending substantially from the first zonal portion 24to the other end of the reflector and from the zonal portion 25 to therear edge of the reflector. The light emitting from the zonal portion 26is shownin Fig. 8 as being bounded by the lines A and E and in Fig. 9 bythe lines D and G. The third zonal portion 26 comprises a prismextending longitudinally of the reflector, said prism being wider thanthe prisms of the zonal portions 24 and 25.

It may be noted that the housing 1 is symmetrical about a center line sothat the same housing may be used on either the right or left side ofthe tunnel.

It will now be apparent that our invention presents a highly desirablemethod of illumination for tunnels andthe like, and it will be evidentthat the light emanating from the lamps as shown and described will beof a character pleasing and restful to the eye.

It will also be apparent that the light from the fixture will be spreadout uniformly along the wall so as to prevent vertical light streaks.

The operator of a vehicle driving through a tunnel or subway lightedafter the manner of our invention will not be subjected to the eyestrain usually encountered in places of this type, artificiallyilluminated, as the greater part of the light is at all times directedforwardly.

Further modifications will be a parent to those skilled in the art andit is desired, therefore, that our invention be limited only by theprior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A lighting construction to be installed in theceiling of a tunnel adjacent the side wall thereof comprising anelongated dished reflector to be installed in the ceiling with its openside down and extending in a transverse direction, a housing for saidreflector, a lamp socket adjacent one end of the reflector and mountedon said housing for supporting a lamp in substantially horizontalposition in said reflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontalplane across the open side of said dished reflector, said lens having afirst zonal portion nearest the sidewall of the tunnel provided with aprismatic formation for causing the light rays passing therethrough todiverge forwardly and rearwardly along the side wall of the tunnel toprevent vertical light streaks, said prismatic formation comprising aplurality of prisms extending longitudinally of the reflector, said lensalso having a second zonal portion extending substantially from saidfirst zonal portion to the other end of the reflector and from a linesubstantially parallel to the rear edge of the reflector to the frontedge of the reflector, said second zonal portion being provided with aprismatic formation for causing light rays passing therethrough to bedeflected forwardly so as not to inconvenience the driver of a vehicle,said second prismatic formation comprising a plurality of substantiallyparallel prisms extending substantially longitudinally of the reflector,said lens having a third zonal portion extending substantially from saidfirst zonal portion to the other end of the reflector and from saidsecond zonal portion to therear edge of the reflector, said third zonalportion being provided with a prismatic formation for causing the li htrays passing therethrough to be deflected orwardly so as not toinconvenience the driver of a vehicle, and said third prismaticformation comprising a prism extending longitudinally of the reflectorand wider than the prisms of the second zonal portion.

2. A lighting construction to be installed in the ceiling of a tunneladjacent the side wall thereof comprising an elongated dished reflectorto be installed in the ceiling with its open side down and extending ina transverse direction, a housing for said reflector, a lamp socketadjacent one end of the reflector and mounted on said housing forsupporting a lamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontal plane across theopen side of said dished reflector, said lens havlng a first zonalportion nearest the side wall of the tunnel provided with a prismaticformation for causing the light rays passing therethrough to divergeforwardly and rearwardly alon the side wall of the tunnel to preventvertica light streaks.

3. A lighting construction to be installed in the ceiling of a tunneladjacent the side wall thereof comprising an elongated dished reflecto'rto be installed in the ceiling with its open side down and extending ina transverse direction, a housing for said reflector, a lamp socketadjacent one end of the reflector and mounted on said housing forsupporting a lamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontal plane across theopen side of said dished reflector, said lens having a first zonalportion nearest the side wall of the tunnel provided with a prismaticformation for causing the light rays passing therethrough to divergeforwardly and rearwardly alon the side wall of the tunnel to preventvertical direction, a housing for saidreflector, a lamp socket adjacentone end of the reflector and mounted on said housing for supporting alamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lenslying in. a general horizontal plane acrossthe open side of said dishedreflector, the liglitcenter of the lamp being adjacent that end of thereflector remote from the socket, said lens having a first zonal portionnearest the side wall of the tunnel provided with a prismatic formationfor causing the light rays passing therethrough to diverge forwardly andrearwardly along the side wall of the tunnel to prevent vertical lightstreaks.

5. A lighting construction to be installed in the ceiling of a tunneladjacent the side wall thereof comprising an elongated dished re flectorto be installed in the ceiling with its open side down and extending ina transverse direction, a housing for said reflector, a lamp I socketadjacent one end of the reflector and mounted on said housing forsupporting a lamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontal plane across theopen side of said dished reflector, the light center of the lamp beingadjacent that end of the reflector re mote from the socket, said lenshaving a first zonal portion nearestthe side wall of the tunnel providedwith a prismatic formation for causing the light rays passingtherethrough to diverge forwardly and rearwardly along the side wall ofthe tunnel to prevent vertical light streaks, and said prismaticformation comprising a plurality of prisms extending longitudinally ofthe reflector. I

6. A lighting construct-ion to be installed in the ceiling of a tunneladjacent the side wall thereof comprising an elongated dished reflectorto be installed in the ceiling with its open side down and extending ina transverse direction, a housing for said reflector, a lamp socketadjacent one end of the reflector and mounted on said housing forsupporting a lamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontal plane across theopen side-of said dished reflector, said lens having a first zonalportion nearest the side wall of the tunnel provided with a prismaticformation for causing the light rays passing therethrough to divergeforwardly and rearwardly along the side wall of the tunnel to preventvertical light streaks, said prismatic formation comprising a pluralityof prisms extending lon itudinally of the reflector, and said lens a sohaving a second zonal portion ext ending substantially from said firstzonal portion to the other end of the reflector and from a linesubstantially parallel to the rear edge of the reflector to the front ede of the reflector, said second Zonal portion eing provided with aprismatic formation for causing light rays passing therethrough to bedeflected forwardly so as not to inconvenience the driver of a vehicle.

7. A lighting construction to be installed in the ceiling of a tunneladjacent the side wall thereof comprising an'elongated dished reflectorto be installed in the ceiling with its open side down and extending ina transverse direction, a housing for said reflector, a lamp socketadjacent one end of the reflector and mounted on said housing forsupporting a lamp in substantially horizontal position in saidreflector, and a lens lying in a general horizontal plane across theopen side of said dished reflector, said lens having a first zonalportion nearest the'side wall of the tunnel provided with a prismaticformation for causing the light rays passing therethrough to divergeforwardly and rearwardly along the side wall of the tunnel to preventvertical light streaks, said prismatic formation comprising a pluralityof prisms extending longitudinally of the reflector, and said lens alsohaving a second zonal portion extending substantially from said firstzonal portion to the other end of the reflector'and from a linesubstantially parallel to the rear edge of the reflector to the frontedge of the reflector, said second zonal portion being provided with aprismatic formation for causing light rays passing therethrough to bedeflected forwardly so as not to inconvenience the driver of a vehicle,and said second prismatic formation comprising a plurality ofsubstantially parallel prisms extending substantial- 1y longitudinallyof the reflector.

